Wall-to-wall carpeting is normally installed in one of two manners. The first manner is where is a strip of wood is positioned parallel to the baseboard along the wall, the strip of wood having depending upwardly therefrom, a series of tacks. A gap exists between this strip of wood and the baseboard so that the edge of the carpet may be tucked into this gap thereby providing an aesthetic appearance. The installer normally cuts the carpet, secures the carpet to the strip of wood containing the upwardly depending tacks and then attempts to tuck the remaining portion of the carpet into the gap between the strip of wood and the baseboard. The tacks on the strip of wood secure the carpet and prevent wrinkling.
The second means of installation is where the carpet is secured directly to the floor by adhesive. This is normally done when the underlying floor is cement or aggregate. In this configuration, no anchor strip containing tacks is utilized but, rather, the adhesive is applied on the floor right up to the baseboard and the carpet is stretched and placed on the adhesive. In order to provide for an aesthetic appearance, the edge of the carpet proximate to the baseboard must be compressed onto the adhesive to ensure that the edge will not curl over.
In the past, installers have utilized a variety of makeshift equipment to tuck such carpets where padding and strips containing tacks are utilized and with respect to adhesive carpet, have utilized the tool which would permit them to exert pressure proximate to the baseboard to ensure that the edge of the carpet is adhesed. Additionally, certain tools have been developed which are the subject of patents, which tools tend to provide the installer with the equipment necessary to complete this task. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,538,523, 3,546,726 and 3,617,082. However, none of the aforementioned patents provide the simplistic approach to Applicant's invention and provide a tool which can be operated with one hand and which is not cumbersome and can be carried by the installer in his belt.